Levaquin and elbows

I was prescribed Levaquin yesterday for a severe bronchial infection. I woke up at 3:30am this morning, and my arms were numb from the shoulders to my fingertips. My hands were tingling as if they were "asleep," and my thumbs were drawing inward toward my hand. I could not lift ANYTHING. Also, the joints in my elbows were extremely stiff. I immediately woke my husband up, and we started searching for Levaquin on the internet. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THE POSTINGS I FOUND ON THIS WEBSITE. I am scared to know what might have happened if I had continued the use of this drug. My fingers, wrists, shoulders, and elbows are so sore right now. I just hope there is no permanent damage to my body.

I am a healthy female with little to no history of adverse reactions to medications. I was prescribed a 10 day dose of Levequin (500 mg) for a minor but stubborn skin abscess. After the third day, I woke up with significant joint soreness in my fingers. Progressively the soreness spread daily to my wrists, elbows, ankles, knees, hips, etc. I did not suspect the antibiotic at first, but I know my body, and I know something was WRONG.
After my 8th dose I decided to look online...it is at least good to know that what I'm experiencing is definitely from Levequin. Thank you all for sharing your stories.

I especially found MERCEDESLANE posting on April 15th interesting. I guess this person works in the health care system. Considering this uncompassionate individual, who apparently wants everythone to know he has a Mercedes, can't spell (whine), and does not have basic grammar skills. Wow...my faith in the our health care system is stronger than ever. But what do I know, I'm just an "IDIOT" with shingles that needs to have a couple of glasses of whine while I pop my remaining Levequin.

I have just finished taking Levaquin for a 10day treatment for pneumonia. In the last 5 days or so I have noticed stiffness in my achilles tendon (no pain) until I get moving. I have also notice a tremor in my hands and no muscle weakness and shaking in my triceps and quads. Of course I hadn't read the precautions to this drug before noticing these symptoms. I contacted both my pharmacist and physician and neither seemed concerned and told me if I was really worried to go to the emergency room. I am wondering if these symptoms will disappear since I am no longer on the drug, how long it will take, and how long I should worry about tendon damage----is the possibility of rupture forever???

2 yrs. ago my husband had been on Vancomycin for an infection from a hip operation. He had an allergic reaction and was given Levaquin in the ER. Not long after the dose was given, he was not able to walk at all his fever spiked and he said he was blind at one point. It did not last but since then he had been slowly declining. He has trouble with his inner ear balance and he can hardly lift his right foot to clear the floor. He bearly feels anything from the knee down on both legs. We have been to many specialists/neuros, MRIs, nerve conduction test and there is nothing to show what is the cause. Can anyone tell me how we could find out for sure if Levaquin may be the culprit.

Sue

My husband was prescribed Levaquin on June 4 for a spider bite. He took 750mg for 10 days. The bite healed well and we are thankful. Last night he began having terrible joint pain in his hips, legs and elbows. After reading all the posts I"m convinced it is caused from this medication. Other than Tylenol I don't know what to do for him.

severe pain.. first in my knee's, ankles and then in my elbows. swelling in my ankles. walking was unbearable!!

Started Levaquin 500 mg for 14 day treatment 4 days ago for chronic ethmoid sinusitis (15 months of battles!). Within 1 day, my symptoms were significantly better - and now 3 days later are about 95% gone. Only strange side effect happened on day three (3rd pill), got severely nauseated and dizzy and felt disoriented within 20 mins of taking the pill, but all subsided within 3 hours. Might have happened because I had taken a Zyrtec the night before - I believe that the 2 don't really mix well. Have been fine since (not taking Zyrtec with it again!).
Do also feel a little tendon pressure in my knees and elbows, but is very little and doesn't bother me at all.

I am a registered Nurse who was recently hospitalized for a bacteremia cuased by a sinus infection...........Of course with bacteremia and cuastive germ as strep viridans, the first thing to rule out is endocarditis. So 6 days later after fighting with doctors to treat sinuitis and not endocarditis they finally put me on Levaquin 750 for thirty days on discharge........ well three days later I thought I had gout in my right knee and left hop. then the following day my other knee became involved..............this medication side effects apparently affects the joints as it also affected my shoulder and elbows..I am an active, healthy woman who does yoga and runs and bikes....I feel like all that the doctors did was look at tests and read books popping all kinds of heavy duty antibiotics into my system I do not take anything at home except vitamins...............so beware...........I refused to take more levaquin and have informed these infectious dis. docs that I am seeking a second opinion with my dentist as the sinusitis is related to an endo/root canal problem in my molr...........I am also a dental hygienist........bottom line consumers need to be assertive and docs need to listen and trouble shoot with patients and their families.

Started Levaquin yesterday for Bronchitis. Today I started with episodes of Tachycardia, Tightness in the chest, and numbness and tingling in the hands,feet and face. I am a nurse and trust me I will make sure none of my patients leave the office I work at with a script for this class of medication. 1 DOSE WAS PLENTY FOR ME I'M THROWING OUT THE OTHER 9 PILLS ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My 16 year old son took Levaquin 6 months ago and had a bad reaction to it. His symptoms were severe muscle weakness (he would get exhausted walking from the parking lot to a store and back, severe joint pain (in thumbs, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles), dizziness (he felt like the room was moving away from him and would lose balance), and headaches (a severe pressure in the back of his head that was constant and then shooting pains in his his head that would come and go for no reason). I should say he was in top shape before this and wrestling in the 125 pound category. He took Levaquin to prevent an infection after sinus surgery.

Now 6 months later, his joint pain is completely gone except for his knees. They still hurt when he does squats and they are not good enough for him to go back to wrestling, but he can walk around pain free. His dizziness is also gone as well as his muscle weakness. His headaches are still there and still constant, but not as bad as they once were; however, he has had them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 6 months. He is on Lyrica which has helped make the headaches subside.

I have taken him to more than 16 medical doctors of all specialties, had multiple MRIs, CT Scans, blood tests, spinal tap, and an MRA. All come back negative. Thankfully, despite all of this, he still remains happy and positive that he will once again be 100% healthy; it will take lots of time, but he will get better. I know the first three symptoms (joint pain, dizziness, weakness) are clearly Levaquin related, but I haven't heard much about the headaches from people. Anyone else out there that has suffered from a constant headache after Levaquin? I REALLY want to hear about headaches from others!!!!

By the way, we have filed a medwatch already. I also know that Levaquin is not approved for anyone under 18 years old and he never needed such a powerful drug to prevent an infection, but there is nothing I can do about that now except to warn others. One of his UCLA doctors wants to write a case study on him to make this more known to others and I am helping him with that.

If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask. If you have had a headache from Levaquin, please let me know where in the head the pain was, if it is constant, what it feels like (pressure, shooting, throbbing), how long you have had it, and what, if anything, helped. THANKS.

I took Levaquin the first time (that I know of and remember) in Dec 2006..probably for bronchitis or pneumonia. I started having strange symptoms, headaches, achy body, etc but chalked it all up to being sick. I have since taken in 4 more times - even after talking to my Dr about the strange things that were happening to me. I just realized by reading everything online that all of these things are more than just me being out of shape...I have had about 75% of the problems associated with this drug, but simply thought I was getting older, out of shape and ill. The headaches are the worst, the sharp pains that radiate through my skull at any given time for no apparent reason and the constant radiating pain coming from my shoulders, the funny vision issues that happen off and on, the incredible pain in my jaw that leads to what I call a 'pulled muscle' in the right side of my jaw, the severe pain in my muscles, mostly in my feet and shoulders but has now started in my wrists, taste of metal, night sweats are ridiculous! and I have started missing my period with this dose of Levaquin, however the new lower back pain that I am feeling is about 10 times worse than that of meses cramps, the sharp shooting pains in muscles sometimes happen in my arms, legs and knees. The very odd feeling of having a bruise when I touch any part of my body to scratch or rub it....the pain is extreme. I have made about 100 excuses for each of these things that I have experienced over the last year and a half and now I feel that I can probably blame it all on Levaquin, I have a doctor's appointment with a new doctor Thursday and am hoping she/he can provide some relief of some of these issues. Please make sure all your loved ones know not to take this drug!

I took 750mg Levaquin for 5 days for a sinus infection and after the 2nd day had a horrible headache, nausea, dizziness, insomnia, muscle aches and metal taste in mouth. At first I thought I was getting the flu or that it was from the sinus infection. After taking the 5th pill and not feeling any better, I found these postings which explains everything. My doctor did not tell me anything about the side effects. It is 3 days after I took the last pill and I am still suffering from severe headaches, dizziness and some nausea. Do not take this medication unless you absolutely have to. I do not normally have any side effects to medication and am not on any other meds. I just hope the headaches go away because I am having to miss work as a result and not able to give attention to my family. My fear is that the headaches won't go away. One posting said that her daughter's headaches went away after 6 days...I can only hope at this point. Terrible drug and shame on the doctor for not warning patients. Try other antibiotics first before you take it.

Hello Everyone ---
I just wanted to share my story and hope that it helps others. On December 20th I was prescribed Levaquin to help clear up a bad case of Bronchitis that I had taken a Z-Pac for a week earlier. I still had remnants and the doctor saw as fit to give me the Levaquin to help me get over what was remaining. I had a 10 day supply of the 500mg Levaquin prescribed to take once a day. After (2) two days of taking the medicine I noticed that I was having a slight amount of pain in my left knee, and by the 23rd of December it hurt to walk or stand or sit. The pain was just a dull ache however; it would also become sharp with any movement. Just to let you know I finished all of my 10 day supply, not knowing that the Levaquin was what was causing my problems. I am a healthy 31 year old male that has a 3 year old daughter, so I am always on the go. However, beginning the 24th & 25th of December the pain had spread from my left knee to my right knee, ankles, as well as hip bones. By the end of my prescription my pain was all over my body, it hurt to sleep, it hurt to move, however, taking 800 mg of Motrin every 6 hours seemed to help ease the pain but never seemed to knock it out. I tried everything from Tylenol to Aleve...however, Motrin was the best. Not knowing what had caused my problems, and getting tired of being in pain I went to see my family medical physician on the 7th of January. He ran me through the mill with test to figure out what was going on. Nothing out of the ordinary, I was a little anemic, however, that had nothing to do with my problems. We talked about the Levaquin, and he as most doctors dismissed the chance of that being the case. However, he did prescribe me 200 mg of Celebrex per day, and told me to take Tylenol as needed to help with the pain. After taking the combination of those drugs for 10 days, I called his office back and told him I was still having problems not as strong as before and I could tell I was getting a little better however movement was still bad, so he referred me to a Rheumatologist. I saw the Rheumatologist on Jan. 22nd and he seemed to help more than anyone else, he also did some blood work, however, nothing out of the ordinary once again, he also check for arthritis, and nothing came of that either. He believes that the medicine was the root of the problem, and until it is gone from my system nothing I am going to continue to have problems. He upped my Celebrex to 2 times per day, and told me to take Tylenol Arthritis 2 pills 3 times a day...this combination has almost knocked away all of the pain. I can still tell that I have problem areas such as my wrist when opening the car door; however, hopefully those will go away in time. Apparently, according to him there is a small amount of people in the world that is allergic to fluoroquinolone drugs and do not know it until they take one of these. I go back to see him again on the 12th of February hopefully I will be back to normal, however, I do have one burning question in my mind…what happens if I get off the Celebrex? Hopefully he will be able to answer that one for me. For anyone out there that is having these same problems as I have you might want to recommend for your Doctor to prescribe you Celebrex and see if will help you…

I was in the hospital for a bowel re-section. On the third day, they switched me to Levaquin because I spiked a fever. I was released four days later (after 2 doses of I.V. Levaquin per day) and sent home with three days worth of pills. Ever since I've taken the Levaquin, I've had horrible shoulder and back pain and feel somewhat neurotic. The doctor said that it's a side effect from Levaquin. I have one day left of the medication and will continue to take it, but I'm curious if anyone else has had mental side effects. All I've read about is the joint and muscle soreness. Please help! It's affecting my sleep and daily routine. I don't recommend this and will not take it in the future (not to mention the cost of the medication!)
thanks

I started taking Levaquin last Friday ( the 11th) for a severe sinus infection. I was prescribed 750 mg for 5 days. I finished that but my sinus infection didn't improve so I was prescribed another 5 days of 750 mg. I took the pill yesterday and today ( totally 7 pills) I noticed on about day 2 or 3 that my legs felt tight, but thought it was a normal side effect. Then my lower back. I wasn't in serious pain at all so I ignored it. Today my knees, knuckles, shoulders, elbows, are extremely sore and i get sharp pains every now and then. It also hurts to sit for too long. I started researching the drug and now am so terrified after reading all these horror stories. Has anyone had this only last while taking it and not for months afterwards? Or am I pretty much in this for the long haul. And to the people who say that it lasts for months or years is it pain that disables you from working and doing daily things? I'm only 23 and I live a very active life and I'm totally freaked out now. PLEASE HELP

I was put on Levaquin for 21 days to treat chronic sinusitis and I am only 17 years old. After about the 3rd day I was having great pain in my hips and knees and we called the doctors office to say we were having some of the side effects you're supposed to notify your doctor for, and they told me to keep taking it because all medicines have side effects and not to freak out. By the fifth day I had to be rushed to the ER because of serum sickness and i finally stopped it. Now, 2 and half months later, I still walk like a 95 year old and have to use a wheelchair to get around. I've also developed hypersensitivity to cold and touch and my limbs go numb randomly.

I was prescribed Levaquin 500 for possibility of a low grade infection (101 temp). Within two days I started feeling anxious, unable to sleep, sweating, dizziness, severe pain in both knees and elbows - could not walk. Upset stomachnausea even though I followed instructions to drink a lot of water. Then flashing began in my eyes. I stopped taking the pills after the third day. The other symptoms began to stop. However the flashing in my eyes continued only to be replaced with big black floaters which, I understand, are permanent.
I had NOT received any warnings from the doctor or the pharmacist other than to "take with a lot of water".

I am a physician and have prescribed levaquin to many people. I have had some of them complain of what they thought were serious and variable side effects but mostly I attributed their problems to anxiety and hypochondiasis. I now know differently. I took levaquin, and for over a year I have had serious CNS anxiety, insomnia, joint and tendon pain, and widespread peripheral neuropathy. It has been an awful time and since realizing that the effects are often long term I have been able to identify many other patients who have developed serious long term problems with anxiety, depression, arthropathy and tendonopathy, neuropathy and possibly endocrine effects like gonadal failure and worsening of diabetes. There are no long term studies done post marketing to identify these effects and to unify all of these problems into one syndrom of fluoroquinolone toxicity. This is a big problem and I believe thousands of patients have been adversely affected by the use and misuse of levaquin and probably the other fluoroquinolone antibiotics. I have other colleagues who are beginning to recognize the long term consequences of levaquin and the fluoroquinolones. More research and study needs to be done. In the mean time I am sure that Johnson and Johnson, Ortho- Mcneil, will continue to refute that the incidence of serious adverse reactions is much higher than they report.

I went to the clinic with a severe urinary tract infection. I was prescribed 500 mg Levaquin for 5 days and started taking it immediately (if you've ever had a UTI, you will understand!) I woke up on the 3rd day and could not move my fingers - my entire hand ached and was so stiff. It began to progress down to my elbows. I recieved a call later that day from the clinic saying they had prescribed me the wrong drug...a culture proved a different bacteria to be the culprit. Apparently the Levaquin was fighting nothing in my body besides my hand! I thought the pain was from the UTI going untreated for so long, but now I can see it was obviously the Levaquin. I still feel stiffness in my hands every morning, but it goes away and I am able to function. But I find it incredible that taking a prescribed medicine can affect me daily...and this was around 3 months ago that I took it!

I took this drug for 9 days of a 10 day prescription. I suffered from insomnia, but didn't connect that to the meds. On day 9 I awoke with slight pain in one knee. As the day wore on, that pain got acute and spread to the other knee, elbows, shoulders and hands. I thought perhaps it was a severe attack of osteoarthritis, but that didn't seem right. Three days later in a newspaper column called "The People's Pharmacy" I read about Levaquin causing severe tendon problem. A light went off in my head and I heard a "Boing!" It is now day 5 of my symptoms, some of which have abated. I still have to wear a knee brace on one leg, can't bend either knee very far, and am in acute discomfort. I took some naproxin to alleviate the inflammation and it seemed to work, but I won't take NSAIDS for a long period of time. I'm furious. Neither the doctor nor the instructions for the medication warned me of this side effect. Now I'm left to hope this goes away with time and I can walk comfortably again without this giant brace on my left knee. I remind myself of Igor in "Young Frankenstein!" Sleeping is uncomfortable as well - I awoke in severe pain last night because I had rolled onto my side and my right knee was resting on my sore left knee. Not good. I'm furious.

3 weeks before my wedding I started Levaquin for the second year in a row for a sinus infection. Last year the sinus infection was so bad I was in bed with face pain, so any other pain I had didn't register, so if I had the joint pain I wouldn't have noticed. But this year I got such bad knee pain I couldn't even stand up. Who knew it could be associated with the antibiotic I was taking. I was barely able to walk down the aisle. That was one month ago, I still have knee pain, can not stand up from a kneel. I was not told about this side effect until I saw the Dr. last week for a follow up. The pain is in my elbows also, limited movement there.
Depressing.

I have terrible sinus problems, which my doctor put me on Leviquin for. I took a twenty day dose of it, and this is the worst thing I have ever been through in my entire life. Excrutiating pain in feet, ankles, knees, elbows, fingers, and also stabbing pains all over my body. Also sweat perfusely, and I wake up every night from nightmares and/or pain. When I wake up I can hardly move my fingers, or stand up to walk. Also I have numbness all over, and now I have high blood pressure which I never had before. My doctor thought I had rhuematoid arthritis, but the test was negative. He said he doesn't think that it is from Leviquin, but after reading all these stories, I am positive it is. It has been a month since my last Leviquin, and I am still not any better. I have to lay down on the couch about every hour because of this pain, and I don't want to do anything or go anywhere anymore. I guess now I have to see a Rhuematologist. I just don't know what else to do, and I am afraid to take any more pills than what5 I am already taking. I am very depressed over all of this.

I have Chronic Lyme Disease, as well as several very resistent co-infections and secondary infections. I've been following several treatments over the past few years, the last one included Levaquin.

Within two days of starting it, I couldn't get up by myself after kneeling down because of extremely severe joint pain. I thought I was having a bad reaction and cut my daily dose in half; should have been smarter and stopped it altogether. I also had insominia.

After a few more days, the hands and elbows were affected. After a while, I decided to research Levaquin online and realized that I wasn't having a Lyme outburst, but were being "poisoned" by Levaquin.

I cannot get up by myself, I canno't go up or down the stairs, I cannot peel potatoes or open jars, typing is painful, my whole body is in constant pain and I don't know how long it will last. I'm 35.

I should have taken my chances with Lyme. This is even worse.

im not a member of this website but here's my story. I am 23, healthy, and in good shape. Never really had anything serious. I came down with a sinus infection almost 2 weeks ago and was prescribed amoxicillin, which i immediately had a reaction to. broke out in a rash.. I was then prescribed Zithromax and Prednisone. I was taking prednisone and felt weird then looked up the side effects and decided not to take it. After my Z-max, I was not feeling any better and returned to the doctor yesterday. He prescribed Levaquin and Duramax. I decided to check the side effects BEFORE beginning taking the medicine. I went to medicinenet.com, and no serious side effects were listed. I took the levaquin on an empty stomach, and about an hour later, my mood shifted from Happy/Playful to Zombie-like and confused. I wanted to cry but I wasn't sad about anything. I couldn't sleep that night, and woke up after having a nightmare. I came to work today and researched it and found multiple websites of people complaining about this medicine! What is going on!?

was given Levaquin for ear infection to take 10 days about half way thru taking I began to have aching or sore joints. Thought it was from over exercising but didn't go away .Legs began to hurt and knees swelled Have been treated for this with steroid pk and 10 days of antiinflamitory med which has not helped. I have stiffness and pain in my hips and legs and elbows. This has been going on for a month. Have seen dr 3 times .

I am extremely upset after reading all of the letters regarding levaquin. I was prescribed levaquin for a severe lung infection. Told to take it for 10 days. Around the eighth day I started to feel pain in all of my joints, i.e. shoulders, hips, knees and especially both elbows. Also, had a tight feeling pain in the backs of both my legs. Doctor advised that I should take the whole ten day dose since my infection had been quite severe. I had told the doctor that I am sensitive to most antibiotics but was told that the Levaquin would probably be well tolerated. It has been six days since I took the last pill and I still have joint and muscle pain which has not decreased. I was beginning to think that I had developed arthritis throughout my body, but since reading the other horror stories I am inclined to believe it has to be the levaquin. Does anyone know how long this drug stays in your system and is the joint and muscle pain something that will continue? I have had reactions to other antibiotics in the past but nothing like this. I will add this drug to my list of things that I am unable to tolerate.

im 27 and thought i was in good shape. i was given levaquin for an upper resp. infect that the z-pack didnt cure. i was given 7 day dose, and since day one my legs have been sore and achey. then my wrists and elbows became sore, for a minute i thought that i was having hallucinations, i thought no way. then my ankle joint and knee joints begun hurting SOOOO bad, i had a hard time falling asleep, and became scared over my legs, afraid to call the doctor back thinking that it was something else, after reading all of your side affects, i am SO glad to hear that i am not the only one, i still have 3 more of these lovely pills to take, and i do plan on getting in touch with the doc now. i never had a hard time staying awake, i would take it at night and could never get to sleep, also seemed to have slight anxiety, the worst of it all is my legs! i want to cry they hurt so bad, and i have two little ones at home, its not like i can lay around all day!!

I was prescriped this drug for a resistant skin infection (MRSA) At first it was prescriped intraveinously....it gave me a rash, and caused the needle sites to develop thrombosis.

After given orally, my joints are sore, elbows first, then hips, shoulders and knees. Headaches, blood pressure is up (but not too bad). I have to use it tho, as it was the most effective of all the antibiotics in fighting my MRSA.

I'm 30 and in good shape...Last thursday I went to the Dr for an ear infection and pnumonia, he gave me samples for 750 mg for 5 days and 500mg for 2 days after the first pill I couldn't sleep tossing all night ususally I hit the pillow and I'm out, I woke up exausted dizzy and with a head ache and the shakes, at work my arms, well to be more specific, my elbows and neck were getting tight and very sore, I attributed it to all the tossing the night before but now on day 6 I'm still tired having weird dreams , no sleep, my knees and elbows and neck really hurt not to mention extream irritability and depression my mood is just awful again thought it was just from being sick. But questioned it so looked on line and found this, I'm shocked, I am allergic to pennicillin which is why the Dr said he gave mw this instead I have one pill left and I just thew it in the trash and I'm calling my Dr first thing in the morning to report these problums.
This is a real wake up call, wish I would have looked up this med before I started taking it, but for sure I will from now on, Guess it is up to our selves to protect our selves can't count on anyone else to do it for us..

Severe shoulder pain in both shoulders, four days following taking levaquin for bronchitis. Trouble lifting both arms, pain running from shoulders down to elbows.

During the first 4 days of Levoquin for treatment of pneumonia started feeling very tired with some aching muscles. It continued to worsen until it became severe pain in my joints (especially hips, knees, shoulders,elbows and hands). I became unable to rise from a sitting to standing position; someone had to lift me up, still with excruciating pain in knee joints. Also had nightmares and started talking in my sleep. Refused to take any more and MD ordered a Z-pack which I am just starting. What an awful drug Levoquin is!!!!!!!

Same joint pains as others have described. Terribly swollen knees(can't squat or walk without much pain), shoulder joints too painful to move in almost any direction, back of neck, shoulders painful, some pain in fingers, elbows, hips. Sleeping and dressing are very difficult. Trouble started after 1 week of taking Levaquin, did not connect it to the drug. Have been diagnosed with lupus and fibromyalgia but these pains are not like anything I have ever had. O was doing very well without taking any pain meds and exercising, walking 1 plus mile often. Now, it's been 4 days of this with little relief from rest, ice, heat etc. After researching, I'm worried. Waiting to hear from Dr. and vowing never to take another prescription without first researching.

Severe and continuing pain in arms (particularly inside elbows), shoulder joint, neck, legs (especially behind knees), ankles and feet. Also tinnitis

Have tried NSAIDS, tylenol without much help. Heat seems to help a little. Exercise definitely makes it worse

Symptoms started on last day of course of treatment with Levaquin

I was given 7 Levaquin 750mg for a terrible sinus infection. This is the third anitbiotic I've been given and this one worked. Within 2 days my symptoms began going away. But for the past 4 days my joints have been inflamed. My knees are swollen and sore to the point that I can hardly walk up stairs, the joints of all of my fingers are swollen and ache constantly. My elbows are even very stiff and sore. My neck is also unusually sore and sometimes tingles. I began looking into the meds I've been taking as these symptoms seem to be getting worse. I'm not sure if I need to call the Dr. or just wait this out...?

I took levaquin for 4-5 days more than one year ago to treat a sinus infection. I began to have pain in my ankles, knees, hips, wrists, elbows after just 2 days on the antibiotic. To inquiry, my doctor told me the tendon pain was NOT a side effect of levaquin. By speaking to my pharmacist, I learned she was very wrong, and discontinued the drug. More than one year later, I am still in pain, and have difficulty walking.

Pain like tennis elbow. I strained my right arm and now the pain is a 9. Both elbows are painful and the pain radiates to my hands. I feel lethargic and out of sorts. My right ear is plugged and I feel like I have a depth perception when trying to park a car.

I have been on Levaquin for about 6 days. I have been having horrible pain in my knees especially but also my shoulders and elbows. It keeps getting worse. I am an active person but I haven't been able to walk at all. I finally decided if just by some off chance to check on the computer for some side effects for this medication. I can't believe that this has happened to some others too. What an eye opener. I am calling the DR. tomorrow and I won't take another one again.

Penny.... Hang in there because I do not think it has to do with Fibromyalgia. Keep reading....

This is a follow up to what I posted on 2/9/06. I went to see my internist today. He is not the doctor that prescribed the Levaquin. The doctor that prescribed the Levaquin suggested that I see my internist because he didn't know why I was having the joint pain. The internist asked me a bunch of questions and then asked if I was prescribed any mediactions lately. That's when I told him Levaquin. He said that is what is causing the joint pain. He told me that it is a reaction that can come on after stopping the drug. He said that it can affect any or all of the joints. In my case it's my shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers. He told me that a lot of peolpe suffer the most in their knees and ankles. He said that not only does it cause joint pain, but it also causes tendon pain. He said that a reaction can happen with any dosage. It has been 16 days since I took that Levaquin. The pain is getting better. The internist told me that maybe another week or two before my joint pain is completely gone. He told me never to take Levaquin again and he told me to never take Cipro. He was very supportive and I didn't even have to bring up the subject of Levaquin side effects to him. The minute the word Levaquin left my mouth he knew. If I experienced this pain after taking just one dose I hate to think what would have happened to me if I took the entire prescription.

To all who are going "crazy" trying to figure out if the Levaquin is causing the joint pain........ It most likely is. This is a very dangerous drug and my heart goes out to everyone that is suffering from the horrible side effects.

I was put in the medication in the hospital iv form for celuitis of my left leg. I have MS. When released from hospital after 3days of Levaquin, a percription was given to me 1 pill a day.750mg. I have noticed for a couple of days my joints hurt, can hardly use my hands, and knees hurt so badly. I didn't realize what it was, until someone told me that was a side effect of the medicine. I just thought it was my MS. My elbows will hardly move and very, very painful. And I have to take this for 14 days. And only started 5 days ago.

I began taking levaquin on February 16, 2005 and took 500 mg/day for 4 days for bronchitis. The first night I woke up hurting in my hips and elbows. The next two nights I woke up with severe aching in joints and bones and a throbbing head ache, the last night I woke up with severe aching. When running errands on Saturday my feet and legs throbbed and cramped. It felt like the flu, only worse and I had to force myself to eat. This is a horrible drug and I will never take it again. It helped clear my chest some, still a little wheezing, but my head is still not clear from the sinus. What's wrong with a good old z-pac? Today is Tuesday, I did rest better the last two nights but still do not feel well, still achy and just don't feel like things are right with my body.

I took levaquin almost 4 years ago for a period of a couple of weeks. I noticed joint pain in my elbows, hips, knees, and wrists. I stopped taking the pills when I did a search for side effects because I knew something had suddenly changed with my health. With no particular warning a year after stopping the levaquin I started having lower back pain that lasted for almost two years constantly and now comes every month or so. I have recently suffered tendon damage and joint pain in my right thumb, and after 9 weeks I am healing very slowly. My right knee is very tight, with pain in/under the knee cap. I have very stiff/ painful achilles tendons on both feet. I know levauin caused joint pain wile I was taking it and I believe I am still suffering from it's ill effects. I am a slim 36 year old, otherwise healthy male. I think levaquin may have aged my joints 30 years in just a couple of weeks.

Today is my first day of Levaquin. 500mg 1x day for Bartonella, a co-infection of Lyme Disease. Only mild stomach issues so far. My doctor warned me that if I start to feel soreness in my tendons (knees, ankles, elbows, etc.) to stop taking the drug immediately. I want to warn people because this is a similar side effect of ciprofloxacin. A friend of mine took cipro and his tendons now are shot, he can barely walk. Apparently this can happen also with Levaquin. Please be careful!

I was given Levaquin for a upper respiratory infection. The first day I had diarrhea from 12:30 until 10:00 that night. I just assumed it was part of what was going on with me. My husband and I are remodeling a house, and I having carpell tunnel so I assumed my hands hurting was from the hammering and working at the house. However, it was a different hurt. It hurt in the joints and all the way to the bone. Then it moved up my arms, my elbows hurt terribly. My shoulders and in-between my shoulder blades are painful. I have been taking Levaquin for at least 10 days now, but no more. I have been getting up in the morning only to walk like my grandmother. My ankles hurt so very bad. I have cried for 2 days now worrying if I have rhumetoid arthritis, or worse. My mother died of cancer. She had breast cancer, and then was cancer free for two years. In the following winter, her legs and bones hurt. She also had arthritis (her father had rhemetoid arthritis) so we assumed that's what it was. It was cancer in the bones. She was diagnosed in January and died in April of that year. I have been so afraid, scared and really was terrified of finding out what was wrong. I also started drinking Mountain Dews because I had no energy and felt so bad. Then when my hands started swelling I started taking motrin. Now I have learned from some of you on here that that's exactly what I shouldn't have done. I am so thankful for all of you sharing and knowing now that I'm not alone or a whiner. I'll pray for all of you and I will do my part to try to get this medicine off the market.

Renee'

In my opinion, Levaquin is a dangerous drug. In January 2002, I had a severe cold/sinus infection for which my Dr prescribed Levaquin. I had started a moderate exercise program, and was doing curls with 10 lb dumbbells. I developed SEVERE tendinitis in both elbows within 2 weeks, while taking the drug. I've had cortisone injections, tried stretching, medication, and forearm braces, and nothing has helped. I'm possibly looking at surgery in the near future. My orthopedist was quick to conclude that Levaquin was indeed the cause, combined with the light exercise, which, under normal circumstances, couldn't have possibly caused tendinitis. DO NOT exercise if you're taking this awful drug, and if you're reading this, please get off of it as quickly as you can.

I have taken levaquin for 10 days, the last day being Oct.2. After 7 days I noticed my legs and feet were swollen. I looked this medicine up on the internet to see if that was a side effect. Sure enough, many of you were suffering this effect. Also I had begun to ache in my shoulders, legs, knees and elbows. I had not connected this with the medicine until I read other's symptoms. By this time I had only two more doses to take, which I did. Now four days later I can still hardly stand up out of a chair. The swelling has gone down, but the aches have not ceased. How long will that take? I don't ever want this medicine again. I took it for a possible infection under the skin after surgery on a thumb.

I began taking Levaquin two weeks ago for walking pneumonia. I asked my doctor at the time if I could exercise, and he told me after a couple of days it should be fine.

The pain started below my right calf. A day later, the same pain in my left leg. The next day, my shoulders, my biceps, my elbows, my wrists, and worst of all...my knees. I had to hold on to something to stand up and actually move my leg over with my hands to drive.

I called the doctor. He told me to go off of it a day to see if the pain went away. I did. The pain subsided. I called back according to his directions and gave him the news. He told me that he thought the side effect was very unusual and go back on it.

I did for a few more days...then the pain started again, so I took myself off the drug. I will never take it again. If my symptoms from the pneumonia come back, he will need to put me on something else.

I also have had problems from Levaquin. My problems started in April after being perscribed the drug for a sinus infection. I took the first pill with little or no side effects. By day three I had pain in my left hand so bad that I could not use it at all. On the sixth day the pain was bad that I could not do anything more then , lay in bed. The pain is in my arms and legs and hips and back, my ankles are sore, my elbows you name it. I just finished up a 20 visit run to the Physical therpaist for tennis elbow, then carpel tunnel syndrom. This is all in my left hand and arm where all of this started. My doctor is showing little or no concern about this. I am so tired of feeling this way. I have shakes in my legs that I can not control. I am tired all of the time and I get little finished before needing to rest again. Typing this is painfull. I have two active sons and I can not keep up with them at all. That is really hard to keep telling them no to everything they want to do . I hope that someone will read this and can help me. It is now September and I have already had enough. Thank you Marylee

I have been placed on levaquin again for a skin bacteria. I was on it last year for an altogether different reason. I am a weight lifter and swimmer and cannot continue to lift or swim while taking levaquin as it causes drastic joint pain....not just ankles, but knees, elbows and shoulders. My advice....if you're going to take levaquin, cease strenuous activity. If you cannot, look for an alternative.

I have been on Levaquin for a UTI (infection of prostate) for over 2 months, and until I found this website I thought I had early stage cancer. I am a very active person, who now has tendonitis so bad in my shoulders, elbows and hips that I can barely move. I also have flu like symptoms and have problems sleeping. I have just called my urologist and now have an appointment.

Hopefully I can get off this drug and return to a normal life. Thank you all for your comments.

I've taken 500 mg of Levaquin for 13 days; cut back to 250 mg. Joint pain started about 7 days after start. Gotten so bad, have difficulty walking. First side effects consisted of short term (hours) of rash, intense heat, itching. The pain has gone from knees and elbows to fingers and ankles. Also brusing in legs. Suppose to be on for 7 more days, but have called the doc and told him I'm done with this. I took this med last year for a urinary trac infection and had to get off it then. Told the doc this but he didn't listen. Next time I listen to myself.
Pat